TheClimatePolicy,RenewableEnergy,&SustainabilityBlog

Tag: Solar Energy

Around the country clean energy resources, energy efficiency and demand response are quickly being adopted alongside more traditional resources. Southern California Edison (“SCE”) recently contracted for an assortment of clean energy resources that will be used in a groundbreaking attempt to see whether those resources can supply electricity to a densely populated area – Orange … Continue Reading

The Minnesota Court of Appeals filed its decision today affirming the Public Utilities Commission’s August 6, 2015 Order in the community solar garden proceeding, which adopted the partial settlement agreement between certain solar developers and Xcel Energy and decided several crucial aspects of Xcel’s community solar program, including the 5 MW cap on co-located gardens. … Continue Reading

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) recently released a Community Solar Program Design Models report as part of a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Market Pathways program. The report is a resource for anyone interested in community solar, but is particularly useful to those involved in developing a community solar program in their community. The report details … Continue Reading

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission today issued its long-awaited Order approving (with modifications) Xcel Energy’s Community Solar Garden (CSG) Program – Solar Rewards*Community. The Order starts the clock for the program to open no later than 90 days from issuance of the Order (mid-December) and officially plows the furrow for community solar projects in Minnesota. It … Continue Reading

Yesterday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (“MPUC”) approved Xcel Energy’s first Minnesota-based Community Solar Garden (CSG) program. After Xcel’s initial program filing was rejected by the MPUC in April, Xcel filed a revised CSG tariff with the MPUC in June. In a related filing, Xcel also argued that a value of solar (“VOS”) rate for … Continue Reading

FERC issues a proposed rulemaking that impacts the owners of gen-tie lines, and the rulemaking is particularly important to renewable energy developers who are interested in maintaining priority to gen-tie capacity for multi-phase projects.… Continue Reading

The East Kern Wind Resource Area (EKWRA)–it’s a mouthful–and it’s also a hotbed for renewable energy development and the location of a fight over millions of dollars among Southern California Edison (SCE), the California ISO, and independent power developers (IPPs). Late last week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) scored that fight in favor of … Continue Reading

In a proposed decision issued yesterday from the California Public Utilities Commission, an administrative law judge (ALJ) determined that energy storage devices (i) that are paired with net energy metering- (NEM) eligible generation facilities, and (ii) that meet the Renewables Portfolio Standard Eligibility Guidebook requirements to be considered an "addition or enhancement" to NEM-eligible systems are "exempt from interconnection application … Continue Reading

Ameren is dusting off a discriminatory method for interconnection customers to fund network upgrades in the Midcontinent ISO region, using two past victories in support of its campaign. But there are key differences between this dispute and those before it, and FERC should deny Ameren's latest attempt to breathe life into the Option 1 funding that met its fate years ago.… Continue Reading

On Thursday, March 27, 2014, the California Public Utilities Commission established rules for transitioning distributed generation renewable energy systems from the current net energy metering (NEM) arrangement to the successor tariff which will be adopted by the CPUC in 2015. The decision, D.14-03-041, was mandated by last year’s passage of AB 327, requiring implementation of … Continue Reading

In a follow up to our prior post, we now report that the Minnesota Commission subsequently modified its initial decision to clarify that Xcel Energy is directed to negotiate a power purchase agreement with the solar bidder, which will be reviewed by the Commission to ensure the terms are consistent with the public interest. Xcel … Continue Reading

After the years of inconclusive resource planning, months of contested case proceedings, and days of oral argument, discussion and review that led to today’s deliberations, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (“Commission”) unanimously decided not to decide. The ultimate question before the Commission was what capacity needs had been determined in the record and what should … Continue Reading

If you are drafting a liquidated damages clause that applies Texas law, a decision today by the Supreme Court of Texas might encourage you to hire an oracle. Because if you negotiate a liquidated damages provision in a "second-look" state without using the power of divination, you may be surprised when a once-reasonable estimate of damages becomes unenforceable because of subsequent changes in the market.… Continue Reading

Yesterday afternoon, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved the methodology for calculating value of solar (VOS) tariffs in Minnesota as developed by the Department of Commerce. In doing so, Minnesota became the first in the nation to adopt a VOS tariff methodology. The Commission was required by statute to take action on the VOS calculation … Continue Reading

After a full day of hearing arguments on Xcel’s proposed Community Solar Garden (CSG) program (see more on that here), the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission deliberated in public on the issue yesterday and made some important modifications to Xcel’s proposal. The program would allow Xcel customers to invest in off-site solar facilities and receive bill … Continue Reading

Qualifying facility interconnection conversions can be an effective way to bypass the interconnection queue, even during a repower. But there are groundrules to a conversion, and today FERC applied those rules and determined that qualifying facility owners may not be entitled to as much converted capacity as they might think.… Continue Reading

by Sara Bergan and Sarah Johnson Phillips In May 2013, the Minnesota Legislature passed legislation that, among other things, set a solar standard, directed Xcel Energy to develop a community solar garden program, and provided for the development of an alternative tariff mechanism to net metering that would also serve as the rate for community solar … Continue Reading

Like other Independent System Operators have done before it, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is back at the drawing board in an effort to further refine its generator interconnection procedures and improve on queue reforms initially put in place in 2009. And also like other ISOs that have continued to tinker with queue reform, SPP … Continue Reading

Thousands of solar industry participants gathered in Chicago for the Solar Power International expo in Chicago, Illinois on October 21-24 to discuss the state of the solar industry. Participatnts included banks, investors, developers and equipment suppliers, and also several Stoel Rives attorneys. Many themes emerged during the week-long event, and a common thread running through these … Continue Reading

After much anticipation, Xcel Energy submitted its petition for approval (PDF) of the company’s proposed community solar gardens program on September 30th. The program would give utility customers a new way to engage in solar generation without having to invest onsite. A solar garden is a “facility that generates electricity by means of a ground-mounted or … Continue Reading

Yesterday, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signed the Omnibus Energy Bill into law. After months of negotiations, state legislators came to an agreement that brings Minnesota to the forefront of solar power following the creation of a solar energy standard, community solar garden program, and a unique value of solar tariff. Key provisions of the new … Continue Reading

Today the Minnesota Senate passed its omnibus energy bill by a vote of 37-26. This follows the Minnesota House of Representatives’ passage of its version of the bill on Tuesday. The bills now move to a conference committee for consolidation. After the conference committee completes its work, the consolidated bill will then return to each … Continue Reading

On May 7th, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed its omnibus energy bill by a vote of 70-63. The bill includes a provision that requires investor-owned utilities to obtain 4 percent of their power from solar by 2025, with a goal of reaching 10 percent by 2030. In contrast to the aggressive House bill, the … Continue Reading

On April 10, President Obama fired the starting gun when he submitted to Congress his budget request for the 2014 fiscal year. The budget contains numerous proposals that are intended to make the U.S. "the leader in the clean energy sector and bring about a clean energy economy with new companies and jobs." According to … Continue Reading

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Welcome to the Renewable + Law Blog®, one of the pioneers of law firm renewable energy law reporting. First published in early 2008, Renewable + Law blog is dedicated to tracking all major policy and legal developments impacting the U.S. renewable energy industry. Whether your interest involves solar energy, wind energy, biomass, ocean and hydrokinetic energy, biofuels, waste-to-energy, geothermal, electric energy storage or other clean technologies, we blog about it.

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About Stoel Rives LLP

Stoel Rives LLP is a U.S. law firm, with a full suite of transactional and litigation solutions for U.S. and international clients. Established in 1907, the firm has nearly 400 attorneys operating out of 11 offices in seven states and the District of Columbia. Representative clients include financial institutions, public and private utilities, energy and renewable energy companies, developers, manufacturers, retailers, hospitals, universities, agribusinesses, software companies, food and beverage companies, charitable foundations, telecommunications and forestry companies, among others. We represent businesses at all stages of growth, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.